My top places to fish in Aberdeenshire
13 March 2019
We are very fortunate here in Aberdeenshire. Not only are we surrounded by a beautiful environment we are blessed with some of the finest angling in the UK. Whether you want to cast a fly for spring salmon on the rivers Dee and Deveron, tempt one of the River Don’s large brown trout, catch a wily sea trout on the River Ythan or try your hand at sea fishing in the many locations around the coast, I guarantee we will have something to suit every taste and budget.
The salmon fishing season is well underway on the Dee, Don, Deveron and Ythan. These early salmon are a great prize as they are fewer in number, and for many of us who fish a ‘springer’ is the ultimate prize. My home river is the Dee where I work for the Dee Salmon Fishery Board. The Dee is synonymous with fly fishing for salmon and has a proud history of innovation in the development of tackle, tactic and techniques. It is truly a place for the fly-fishing aficionado. But as a resident of Aberdeenshire I have many more rivers and lochs to choose from and my fishing year is shaped by lots of options, so much so I am often simply spoiled for choice.
As the year progresses and we enter the warmer spring months the fly fishing for wild brown trout on the River Don. I may be biased, ok I am, but I doubt there are many better trout rivers in the UK than the Don. Of course, the best way to test that is to come and try for yourself.
The summer months are as great time to be on the rivers and lochs. In May and June the evenings stretch and we often fish to 11pm, it is a magical time to be outdoors. The sea trout anglers on the Don, Dee Ythan and Deveron love this time of year and many of them will fish through the night for these incredible sporting fish, which can be found on all our rivers. Shortly after the sea trout arrive we are looking for summer salmon and grilse. Grilse are salmon that have spent one winter feeding at sea following their migration from the rivers of their birth.
Coastal fishing from shore or boat is also very popular in Aberdeenshire and there are many opportunities for visitors to try and catch something tasty such as a fresh cod or mackerel. I particularly enjoy mackerel and they are a great species to introduce youngsters to.
The area also has many top-quality trout fisheries and these are also great places to take someone new to fishing, to try their hand at catching stocked rainbow trout.
We fish all year round in Aberdeenshire, so whenever you decide to visit there will be lots of opportunities to cast a line in our rivers, lochs and the North Sea. It impossible to try it all in one visit, so be sure to come back!
If you have any questions about fishing in Aberdeenshire, please get in touch with me at ross@riverdee.org. I am here to help!